The Hybrid Thermal Lance: A Promising New Technique for the Destruction of Landmines and UXO by Deflagration

Explosive ordnance can be destroyed by a variety of methods. Destruction in-situ using an explosive charge is generally the preferred means; it is reliable, technically straightforward, and often the safest option. Other techniques include thermite-based tools or low-explosive powered disruptors. However, in a number of current humanitarian mine action (HMA) operating environments, clearance organizations are faced with restrictions on explosive use and/or importation of other energetic materials such as thermite. This may be due to the legitimate security concerns of mine-affected states, or legislative frameworks that do not account for non-military use of explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) tools. This takes place against a broadening range of explosive ordnance, particularly given the proliferation of improvised explosive based hazards in the Middle East

It's different, it's difficult, it's unknown': Letting go of levels

This paper explores primary teachers’ accounts of their responses to major changes in the curriculum and assessment system in England, which has recently re-designated expected standards of achievement and progress. Analysis is informed by Foucauldian poststructural understandings of power/knowledge and truth to examine how they reorganise their practices as mathematics teachers within a policy context which continues to compel schools to focus on performance. By means of a small-scale empirical study, we identify the tensions created when the ‘rules of the game’ change and how technological assessment tools require and enable teachers to reproduce levels and labels to categorise pupils. Our aim in undertaking this analysis is not to compare teachers’ assessment practices to an ideal, beyond policy, but to illustrate how government-driven changes to assessment are insufficient to change underlying discourses of performativity which ultimately shape practice

The effects of managerialism in higher education on doctoral theorising: time to think?

Over the last 30 years higher education has seen a rise in new managerialism across all its activity, driven by neoliberal economic policy. Professional doctorates (PDs) have been part of this rise, increasing in number considerably and spawning a related interest in researching doctoral work. However, there have been few studies focused on how students develop an understanding of theory/theorisation and how supervision supports it. This paper reports on a research project involving interviews with supervisors from professional doctorate in education programmes in the UK, as a particular example of PDs in general, to explore the process of theorisation. Drawing on Bernstein, it shows how supervision, and wider programme design, are mediated by the increasingly managerial context of doctoral study. The study raises questions about the ways in which students and supervisors engage with both methodology and theory/theorisation in working together and subsequent implications for the quality of doctoral work

Dusty Miller Cut Foliage Production in Utah

Dusty miller is a foliage known for its lace-like, velvety texture and silvery pale, sage-green leaves. While an annual foliage, dusty miller is an easy-to-grow, productive crop that can tolerate a light frost and make use of small spaces and edges on a cut flower farm. Harvests begin as early as June in high tunnels and late July in the field. Dusty miller serves as a traditional filler as well as base foliage for centerpieces. It is often used in small-scale floral design such as corsages, boutonnieres, and flower crowns. Though useful in diverse designs, dusty miller is also relatively inexpensive to import, a notable market consideration for local growers

Dahlia Cut Flower Production in Utah

Dahlias are tuberous, herbaceous plants that are frost sensitive and therefore grown as a warm-season annual for cut flower production in Utah. Dahlias bloom in summer to fall, with peak production in late summer to early fall, and the season ending with first frost. Plants benefit from pinching to encourage branching and horizontal trellising or staking to promote straight stems and avoid toppling. High tunnels or extended low tunnels with shade, as well as optimum nitrogen and irrigation rates, improve production. As showstoppers in arrangements, dahlia cut flowers are highly desired on local markets and profitable to produce, particularly those with ball, decorative, or dinnerplate blooms

Echinacea for Cut Flower Production in Utah

Echinacea, commonly known as coneflower, is an easy-to-grow, low-maintenance cut flower crop. As a perennial, plants can be expected to last up to 5 years in production before replacement is needed. Known for delicately arching petals and strong stems, echinacea comes in a wide range of colors that lend a wildflower look to floral design. Seed heads are also popular and can be harvested for their rust-orange cone shape

Cognitive processing following acquired disability for para sport athletes: a serial mediation model

Purpose: To understand the cognitive processing that occurs in relation to a disabling life event among para sport athletes, as well as the role of para sport participation in shaping these cognitions, and subsequent perceptions of posttraumatic growth or distress. Methods: Participants were 75 para sport athletes with acquired disability. Serial multiple mediation analysis was conducted to identify the various pathways through which posttraumatic growth or distress is experienced. Results: Findings suggested that a disabling event initiated challenges to one’s core beliefs which influenced subsequent perceptions of posttraumatic growth and distress through cognitive processing at two separate time frames. Moreover, the utility of deliberate rumination (at both time points) was evident in experiencing posttraumatic growth, while intrusive rumination only appeared beneficial if it prompted deliberate ruminations. Conclusions: As several unique paths to posttraumatic growth were found, results suggest that a multitude of paths to growth may be possible. Para sport participation may have utility in facilitating deliberate ruminations and subsequent posttraumatic growth for those unable to deliberately ruminate in the immediate disability aftermath

Cosmos for Cut Flower Production in Utah

Cosmos are one of the easiest and most productive cut flowers to grow. As a warm-season annual, blooms are prolific and continued, making cosmos a staple, cut-and-come-again flower. The plants tolerate low water conditions, poor soil, and low maintenance, and perform better in fields than high tunnels. Available in shades ranging from whites and blushes to cranberry and orange, cosmos provide popular colors and airy textures for floral design work, particularly in late summer weddings and events

Techno-economic assessment of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) production from methane - the case for thermophilic bioprocessing

A major obstacle preventing the large scale production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) has been the lack of a reliable, low cost, large volume feedstock. The abundance and relatively low price of methane therefore marks it as a substrate of interest. This paper presents a techno-economic assessment of the production of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) from methane. ASPEN Plus was used for process design and simulation. The design and economic evaluation is presented for production of 100,000 t/a PHB through methanotrophic fermentation and acetone-water solvent extraction. Production costs were estimated at $4.1-$6.8/kg PHA, which compares against a median price of $7.5/kg from other studies. Raw material costs are reduced from 30 to 50$3.2-5.4/kg PHA; it is noted that PHB producing thermophilic methanotrophs are yet to be isolated. Energy consumption for air compression and biomass drying were also identified as significant capital and operating costs and therefore optimisation of bioreactor height and pressure and biomass moisture content should be considered in future research

An Expert System on Flimsy Foundations

The paper seeks to identify how teacher expertise is implicitly and explicitly conceptualised in current English education policy in respect of the professional development of teachers. We focus specifically on conceptualisations of expertise in the Early Career Framework (ECF), both in terms of the policy documentation produced by the Department for Education and in terms of a selection of publicly available materials produced by the lead providers of the ECF. We aim to locate these conceptualisations in terms of broader sociological and philosophical debates about the nature of expertise and its relationship to professional work, in addition to recent research on the policy context of teacher education and professional development in England. Our analysis reveals the inappropriacy of ‘expert systems’ approaches to expertise in educational contexts, the underlying assumptions embedded in policy in terms of what constitutes high-quality teaching practice and the insufficiency of relying on an appointed advisory group and organisations preferred by government for identifying and iterating criteria for expertise